Telephone
517-372-5900
Menu

Create Content to Attract Your Ideal Candidate

This article appeared in the May 2018 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.

Manufacturers are feeling the pain of finding top talent in a tough market. Having a strong employer brand is key because just like your buyers — candidates are better educated and have access to more information than ever before.

So how can you build a strong employee brand that attracts skilled employees? Start by creating content that speaks to your ideal candidates on these platforms.

Glassdoor, Indeed and Other Job Sites

Stuck on writing up that job posting? Here’s a hack: take your tagline or your mission statement and flip it. For example:

  • “We deliver custom security solutions for the banking industry, fast!” now becomes:
  • “We’re looking for self-guided, motivated people to help solve our clients’ biggest security problems.”

pInclude video or office pictures on your company profile. Create strong employer branding that includes your logo, location, and copy that speaks in your brand’s voice and tone.

Use “you” language (instead of just “we” and “us” language). For instance:

  • “About You” or “Your Experience” instead of “Requirements” or “You Love To” instead of “Skills”

Finally, include social proof like “Coolest Places to Work” badge or other awards, and encourage happy employees to write reviews for you.

Social Media

Sixty-two percent of candidates say they researched a company’s social media before applying. So you’ll need to post as well as use paid advertising on the social platforms that your ideal candidate uses.

Seventy-six percent of candidates say they looked at your current employees’ LinkedIn profiles while researching your company. Make sure your team’s profiles make a strong employer brand statement. Ask them to share your company’s blog posts regularly on their own social media profiles.

Use Facebook to paint a picture of your company culture with pictures and videos from company outings, posts about charities or other organizations you support, and “a day in the life” posts about individual employees.

Do not overlook Instagram. We have a niche industrial client who takes beautiful pictures of his facility visits (it’s amazing what an Instagram filter can do for an industrial water cooling system) and posts them to Instagram.

Videos

Create videos for each stage of a candidate’s journey toward being hired:

  • High level overview video (answer “what you do” and “why” people work there)
  • Company culture video (feature corporate events like outings and parties)
  • Employee-benefit focused video about continuing education program or something else unique you offer for employee growth
Your Website

You need an updated (we mean within the last three years) and mobile-friendly website. Place a recruiting message right up front on your homepage with a button to your application or opportunities page. Make sure your About Us page has real photography from inside your office (no stock photos!).

Events

Consider inviting candidates to upcoming company events or hosting an open house at your office to get to know candidates in your hiring pipeline. At these events, make sure your employees reach out and welcome candidates and paint a picture of what it’s really like to work there.

Your next great hire could be anywhere — social media, job boards — be ready with content that speaks directly to them.


Premium Associate MemberThe Whole Brain Group is an MMA Premium Associate Member and has been a member company since 2017. Visit online: www.thewholebraingroup.com.

About the Author

Donna CampbellDonna Campbell is a content strategist with The Whole Brain Group. She may be reached at 734-929-0431 or dcampbell@thewholebraingroup.com.